The Writing on the Wall

The Writing on the Wall

READ: PSALMS 9:10; 56:3; ACTS 16:22-36; PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7, 12-13 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALMS%209%3A10%3B%2056%3A3%3B%20ACTS%2016%3A22-36%3B%20PHILIPPIANS%204%3A6-7%2C%2012-13&version=NIV] Jesus, help me, Rowan cried inwardly as he heard the clang of a heavy door close behind him. Arrested for distributing Christian books and Scriptures, my Australian co-worker Rowan was now locked in a Tunisian prison cell in North Africa. He had not been allowed any phone calls, and no one knew where he was. During the next few days, Rowan tried to share Jesus with his Arab and African cellmates—wanting them to know God’s great love for them. He kept trying until some of them surrounded him, intent on forcing the foreigner to become Muslim. He was gripped with fear and uncertainty. What were they going to do to him? “Looking into the eyes of those men, I did not see love,” he remembered. “I did not see God. I had never felt so alone.” By the third evening, he had sunken into depression. He didn’t feel like singing—as Paul and Silas did in their prison in Acts 16—nor did he experience an earthquake or an angel miraculously setting him free. As his eyes idly scanned the graffiti covering the dirty wall beside him, however, his attention was suddenly riveted. Some words had been roughly scrawled in English: Trust in the Lord Jesus and He will surely do it for you. It was as if the words were a message for him alone. Rowan’s heart lifted with joy as he realized that God was with him—and working on his behalf. The next day, the police escorted Rowan to a ship in a nearby port, ordering him to leave the country. “I learned something through all this,” Rowan later reflected. “God is there in our darkest times, even when we don’t feel Him. He is able to bring us through any situation.” • Deborah Meroff • Jesus loves you, and He died and rose again to make the way for you to be with Him forever. Once you’ve put your trust in Jesus, you can know that He is always with you, even in your darkest moments (Psalm 23:4; 139:7-12). Have you ever seen God’s work in surprising ways when you were in a dark time? What happened? Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10 (NIV)

It All Points to You

READ: PSALMS 19:1-6, 14; 103:12 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALMS%2019%3A1-6%2C%2014%3B%20103%3A12&version=NIV] I feel it in the warmth of the sun on my face, A gentle reminder of Your love and Your grace. I hear it in the whipping wind, Your removal and forgiveness of my sin. The air around me that is fresh and new, It reminds me I can be washed clean of my wrongs too. The chirping birds, the buzzing bee, Remind me You always take care of me. The grass that is bright and green, Reminds me I am always seen. The majestic eagle, the strong deer, Show me Your power and remind me that You are here. Keep me thinking about You each day, Remind me of all You have to say. Let my eyes be open to all that points to You, And let me honor You with all that I do. • Emily Acker • Today’s poem is written in the style of a psalm. Can you think of a time nature drew your thoughts to God? Perhaps a beautiful sunset reminded you of His power, or a fluttering bird reminded you that He takes care of you. Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this. • Where are you right now? If you’re inside, can you see out a window, or look closely at an indoor plant, or take a few minutes to step outside? What can you see around you that reminds you of our Creator and how good He is? • All things were created through Jesus. He is fully God, and He came and lived among us, fully human, to die and rise again to save us from sin and restore His creation from sin’s effects (John 1:1-14; Colossians 1:15-22; Revelation 21:1-5). Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that He is always with us. And reminders of His goodness are everywhere! This week, consider writing down times when you notice something in nature that reminds you of God. As you do, praise and thank Him for these reminders of His goodness! Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Isaiah 40:26 (NIV)

The Whole World in His Hands

READ: ROMANS 8:18-25, 38-39; REVELATION 1:13-16 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ROMANS%208%3A18-25%2C%2038-39%3B%20REVELATION%201%3A13-16&version=NLT] Yuna spent her lonely days peering through her lens, gazing upon the planet that was no longer her home. The shuttle that she now considered home orbited the planet ceaselessly. Since she was stationed there, she’d been capturing images of the planet’s surface through the tele lens. With each orbit, she dutifully documented the horrors below. Green once blanketed the equator, but now the land was stripped bare and plundered for resources. Yuna often compared the shrinking ice sheets to older images and noted how little of the tundra remained. Wildfires were even more terrifying to spot. Massive plumes of orange and gray moved across the land leaving nothing in their wake, as if giants had marched through with torches. Yuna imagined the planet living and breathing, only to suffocate on its own polluted air. As deeply as she cared for the planet and the animals and plants that inhabited it, she recalled a phrase she’d been taught. Imago Dei. She thought now of the people her God created. She thought of them as the shuttle crossed over lands that made her mourn. She knew the region well. Old images showcased vibrant roofs and fields during the day. At night, the cities lit up and resembled webs of neurons. But the region looked like this no more. Yuna braced herself for what she might see and choked back a sob when she focused the camera. Everything was gray. Buildings were flattened, streets were bare, and as the sun fell behind the planet, Yuna realized that the city was as dark as the endless space surrounding her. Yuna turned and wept. Tears blurred her sight completely, but then she looked out the window and saw something, someone, clearly. A constellation of stars flew into a new place, creating the shape of a person. He had white hair and eyes that burned like twin suns, making her tremble. Bronze feet stood steadfast in the bedrock of the galaxy way below. But in His right hand, He held the planet—and all those in it—like one might swaddle a child. He reached out a hand and placed it gently upon her. • Zoe Sherman • Today’s allegorical story echoes the old children’s song, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Because of sin, God’s good creation has been permeated by a brokenness that is beyond natural repair, and humanity’s very own relationship with God has been fractured. How have you experienced brokenness, pain, or sorrow in this world? Consider taking a moment to tell God about this. He longs to listen to you and wrap you in His tender compassion. • This brokenness was not God’s design, and it’s not the end. God still loves us, and He still wants to be with us. Throughout the Old Testament prophecies, God promised that He would send a Savior who would restore our relationship with Him and bring peace to this broken world. That Savior is Jesus. Fully God and fully human, Jesus took all our sin upon Himself when He died on the cross, and when He rose from the grave, He defeated death! Jesus’s promise for today is that He will be with us always, and His promise for the future is that He will make all things new. How can these promises give us hope? • In Revelation 1, the author John depicts Jesus, in all His glory, holding seven stars in His hand. In John’s vision, each star represents one of the seven churches that receive letters, and the number seven symbolizes completion in the Bible. Therefore, this is also an image of God holding all of His church in His hands. Everyone who has put their trust in Jesus is part of the church, together with all believers everywhere and throughout history. For more about the good news of Jesus, and what it means to belong to Him, see our "Know Jesus [https://unlocked.org/knowjesus/]" page.  But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. Romans 8:20-21 (NLT)

Knot Enough

READ: PSALMS 16:11; 63:1-8; JEREMIAH 2:5-13; JOHN 10:10 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALMS%2016%3A11%3B%2063%3A1-8%3B%20JEREMIAH%202%3A5-13%3B%20JOHN%2010%3A10&version=CSB] Growing up, I admired my mom’s ability to sew everything from Christmas decorations to Easter dresses. I wanted to develop those skills too. One aspect of sewing I learned the hard way was that I needed to tie a knot at the end of my thread before I made the first stitch—and ensure the knot was large enough. I couldn’t begin my project unless the knot filled the needle hole and held my thread securely in place. If I pulled the needle through the fabric and the knot at the end of the thread slipped right through without stopping, I hadn’t created a big enough knot. Then I’d need to create a larger one. I could only continue stitching fabric together or sewing on a button if the knot was bigger than the puncture. The success of my entire project depended on the knot. When God formed humans in the Garden of Eden, humanity was whole and complete. Our lives (and relationships with God) hadn’t yet been broken by sin. But then sin entered the world. Now we each start life with shattered spirits and holes in our hearts. Blaise Pascal, a 17th century mathematician and philosopher, described this hole as an “infinite abyss [that] can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.” Like the needle leaving a hole in the fabric, our rebellion against God leaves us with a vacuum—an emptiness in our souls that only God can fill. Yet how often have I used created things to try to fill the void in my soul? Success, academics, music, others’ approval…I’ve sought out what might give me a sense of worth, significance, or acceptance. All those pursuits, though, turned out to be too-small knots, unable to fill the void. Never providing lasting wholeness. Only by knowing God through Jesus, who loves us and gave His life so we could be forgiven and experience a relationship with Him, can the God-shaped vacuum be filled. Only Jesus can make us whole. • Allison Wilson Lee • We all try to fill the void with created things instead of turning to the Creator (Romans 1:25). What have you turned to as a way of filling the void? How have those things let you down? • Only a relationship with God can provide lasting fulfillment. God longs for this relationship with us, and He made the way for us to be with Him through Jesus. Consider spending some time talking with Him in prayer, asking Him to help you notice His love and His invitations to more. You [God] satisfy me as with rich food; my mouth will praise you with joyful lips. Psalm 63:5 (CSB)

Out of Style

READ: PROVERBS 18:21; EPHESIANS 4:14-32; JAMES 3:1-18 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PROVERBS%2018%3A21%3B%20EPHESIANS%204%3A14-32%3B%20JAMES%203%3A1-18&version=NIV] I grew up wearing lots of hand-me-downs from my aunts, a few friends, and an older cousin. Once, I got a second-hand dress that I felt great wearing. The following Sunday, I showed up at church in it feeling polished and put together. Then came the comment—from someone I’ll call Bonnie. Bonnie complimented my dress, remarking that it looked pretty. I thanked her enthusiastically, pointing out how I liked its belt. Bonnie followed up with, “I mean, it’s not the latest style, but it looks nice.” I swallowed hard and thanked her once more— less exuberantly this time. My confidence wavered, and I questioned whether I actually felt attractive in my new-to-me dress. Bonnie’s words held power. First they uplifted me. Then they deflated me. I don’t know her reason for announcing that my hand-me-down clothing had gone out of style, but I wonder if she considered the impact of her speech before she spoke. In the New Testament book of James, the younger brother of Jesus writes to Christians encouraging them to “tame the tongue” (3:8). When we place our faith in Jesus for forgiveness of sins and a renewed relationship with God, we start a journey as followers of Jesus. His words are always full of truth and love, and He died so our sinful words could be forgiven. Following Jesus involves learning to honor Him in all parts of life, including how we speak to others. James warns his readers about the damage the tongue can do, reminding these believers we should not use our mouths to speak words of both praise and cursing. Controlling what we say presents many challenges, especially during disagreements or in the heat of anger. Yet, because we have the power of Jesus at work in us through His Holy Spirit, we can grow in keeping our tongues in check—using our words to bless instead of curse. • Allison Wilson Lee • What struggles do you have in controlling your words? Do conversations with certain people tend toward gossip, inappropriate talk, or harsh criticism of others? • Can you think of a time you were hurt by someone’s careless (or even cruel) words? Jesus grieves with us and offers comfort. How can it be helpful to remember what He says about us? • Can you think of a time you spoke carelessly and hurt someone else? Consider taking a moment to talk to Jesus about this. He invites us to confess any sin, rest in His sure forgiveness, and rely on Him to help us move forward in His love, kindness, and wisdom. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)